tech

February 18, 2026

Tesla avoids California sales ban by removing ‘autopilot’ from marketing

State regulators walk back suspension threat and say Tesla has stopped misleading drivers about the safety of its cars

Tesla avoids California sales ban by removing ‘autopilot’ from marketing

TL;DR

  • Tesla will retain its dealer and manufacturer licenses in California.
  • The company stopped using the term "autopilot" in its marketing in the state.
  • State regulators determined Tesla no longer misleads drivers about vehicle safety.
  • A threatened 30-day license suspension has been averted.
  • Previous rulings found Tesla's use of "autopilot" and "full self-driving" to be deceptive.
  • Tesla now uses the term "supervised" for its full self-driving technology.
  • "Autopilot" enables lane keeping, acceleration, and braking on highways.
  • "Full self-driving" allows lane changes and traffic signal response on city streets.
  • The California DMV gave Tesla a 90-day window to make changes, which it deemed sufficient.

Continue reading the original article

Made withNostr